Hudson & Fournier: Catholic Countdown to Election 2012, Day 15. Some Pastors Get Political - and Help Obama

By Deal W Hudson and Keith A Fournier
10/22/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Without the Fundamental human right to life, all other derivative rights are jeopardized

Holy Trinity Catholic Church in the Georgetown section of Washington, DC

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WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - This past Sunday a friend of ours named Alex attended Mass in Washington, DC, at the well-known Holy Trinity Catholic Church, the Jesuit parish in Georgetown.Alex has been part of a Catholic outreach effort in several battleground states. Its specific goal has been to educate Catholic voters on the key distinction between settled or non-negotiable principles and issues - and those which allow for the proper exercise of our prudential judgment.

What, however, did he find on the front of the Holy Trinity bulletin? Alex found an article from Prof. Vincent Rougeau, Dean of Boston College Law School, which portrayed the prudential judgment issue of how to best approach the provision of health care as if it were a settled issue (reprinted from America, Aug. 13-20, 2012.)

In this article, Dean Rougeau praised the Affordable Care Act, the new health care law passed by the Obama administration. He did not mention that it was publicly opposed by the Catholic bishops because, particularly through the implementation of the notorious HHS Mandate, it provides federal funding for abortion and mandates the provision of abortion inducing drugs, sterilization and contraception. In addition, it contains no real exemption for religious institutions, fails to recognize the fundamental human right to religious liberty and violates the conscience of health care workers. These are genuinely settled issues of a serious nature.

Rougeau wrote: "Most countries with the necessary financial means (and some without it) have provided universal health care to their citizens and residents for decades because it was fairly obvious that human dignity required it. Universal health care is a moral imperative, something a political community ought to offer if it hopes to encourage meaningful membership and participation in the community, both of which are essential to a well-functioning democracy."

Is this reprinted article intended to influence the vote of Holy Trinity parishioners? Absolutely! It's introduced in the Holy Trinity bulletin thus, "In the article, Dean Rougeau suggests how, as Catholics, we might understand our responsibility as a voter and a citizen."

Does the argument contained in Rougeau's article help the reelection of President Obama? Of course! This is not to suggest that Holy Trinity has done anything in violation of its non-profit status -- it has not. But, the pastor of Holy Trinity has employed his latitude as a teacher of the faith to mislead his flock on two fronts: First, on the Church's vital distinction between settled and prudential issues, and, second, by omitting any reference to the abortion funding in Obama's health care legislation, or the opposition of the USCCB.

The bulletin's introduction to Rougeau's article also announced, "Part Two will appear in next Sunday's bulletin," the Sunday two days before the election on Nov. 6. (We knew where the District of Columbia 3 electoral votes were headed anyway.)

Rougeau, as our friend pointed out, included an extremely objectionable argument near the end of his article -- that Catholic values should be put aside. He vaguely refers to the abortion issue but claims it is trumped by the need for universal health care:

"Although I take very seriously the role that we as Catholics should play in bringing our values to the discussion of specific aspects of national health care policy, I think it is more important to make sure that everyone who needs health coverage has it - period. Allowing people to go without access to decent health care in the midst of this nation's extraordinary affluence is at best a shameful misdirection of our priorities and at worst evidence of a nation blind to the basic requirements of social justice."

Once again, this inaccurate interpretation of the principles offered in Catholic teaching on social justice is raised as a banner, but only to obscure the foundation of all justice -- the fundamental human right to right to life. Without the Fundamental human right to life, all other derivative rights are jeopardized. In effect, the very infrastructure of human rights is placed at risk! We pray that this repugnant habit, whether mere rhetoric or not, will be put aside by Catholics in coming decades.

To his credit, Alex attempted to discuss his objections to this article by Dean Rougeau being featured in the Holy Trinity bulletin two Sundays before the national election with the Pastor. But he reported, "The pastor disagreed on all fronts and wasn't much interested in having the conversation." When pastors and other clergy place such material in front of their parishioners, they, of course, know exactly what they are doing. Alex, however, did the right thing -- even clergy need to know that the laity knows what they are doing when they do it.

Had we been the editors at America, the following ad hominem section of Rougeau's article would have been excised:

"In the United States, however, many people do everything they can to prevent the entire population from receiving health coverage because they cannot stand the idea that the government (as opposed to the free market) might be in the best position to provide it or because they despise the President and his political party or because of disagreements about whether particular procedures should be covered."

Really? Just who are these "many people?" We would have removed this comment, given that it reflects not only on the mean, subhuman Republican Party but on the bishops themselves.

And who are these people who "despise the President and his political party?" We doubt very much if Dean Rougeau actually knows any of the "many people" about whom he speaks -- it's not likely he runs into them at Boston College law school or his social circle.

Perhaps Dean Rougeau has the gift of seeing into the souls of those who disagree with the President's pro-abortion policies and sees a hatred driving their pro-life objections? Ah, but we don't know that to be the case anymore than Rougeau knows whether or not they "despise the President and his political party."

- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Obamacare, Affordable Care Act, Health Care, Abortion, Right to Life, Religious Liberty, Catholic vote, Romney, Ryan, Obama, Biden, Vincent Rougeau, Deal W Hudson, Keith A Fournier

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1 - 7 of 7 Comments

Mark
6 months ago
Tom: Not if we're using Catholic Online as an example.
Nobody worth mentioninig
6 months ago
At the risk of sounding lika an Obama supporter, if one were to spend any amount of time reading the rhetoric at Catholic Online, one would walk away with the impression that there are, indeed, many who "despise the President and his political party". Perhaps Dean Rougeau has spent a lot of time reading the rhetoric at this website.
Larry
6 months ago
Tom - I know you can't apply what you say to the Obama campaign and to Obama himself. The issue here is in this article is latching on to one aspect of Catholicism, Social Justice and not including others that are fundamental - abortion, contraception, respect for life, free speech and able to practice your faith/religion, etc. all of which the Obama administration and Obama himself does not respect.
Too many people are stuck in the 70s as if nothing has changed since then and they don't pay attention to people's actions today, who is really doing what. They focus on what people say and sayings and sound bites - Democrats or liberals love the poor, the down trodden, the average Joe, minorities, women, etc. but in the last 50 years or so, their policies have hurt most of these groups. They point to what people talk about and their intentions but not on the effect of the actions on the rest of the population, even those they say they help
Reserach shows that church goers, conservatives and Republicans and conservatives help more people on all areas of the scale especially the poor than do Democrats and liberals. - with time, their own efforts, money, donations, getting things organized. These are social justice issues but are ignored by many on the left.
In the name of 'women's freedom' they are willing to kill the unborn, babies, even babies that are born but they monther did not want or whose birth did not turn out quite right - because its the woman's decision (late term abortion or aborting babies who are born). They do this in the name of not judging and personal freedom and each person can make his or her own decisions. Well we all make judgments about what others do (gossip, anti smoking, anti bulling, child and wife abuse, etc.) and sometimes we make laws about it. The causes of the left have become theiir new religion even if they attend some church regularly or some type of religious services.
Even some leaders have been blinded by the causes or just ignore what Christianity and Catholicism teaches because their vision of the cause is bigger than the decisions of the leaders in general. I don't agree with all that the hierarchy in the USA have done or not done, especially the not done part, but there it goes.
Elections have consequences and this election just points out some issues more clearly than have other ones in the past. You get to live with the consequences of your vote all the way to supporting what is sinful and condemned. Its on you
Bill Sr.
6 months ago
Unbelievable, if the Cardinal sees the parish as a lost cause that is no reason to remain silent
It is far too late in these social justice debates with outright disobedience and political correctness approaches to today’s perversions of human behavior and betrayal of biblical truth for our hierarchy to simply urge the Laity into action. Our actions are of little consequence within the media and for the most part futile if we do not have the weight of authoritative clerical discipline and/or pronouncements supporting our voices.
Unless we witness prominent church officials and bishops condemning, defrocking and excommunicating these self styled ruling class individuals who present themselves as equally prominent laymen and/or politicians who openly challenge church law while imposing pain and suffering on the people with ill fated self endowed elitist rhetoric and socially lethal legislation the laity will continue to be recognized and labeled just as our president assumes us to be, uneducated uninformed homophobes clinging to our guns and Bibles.
It is spiritually inhumane for hierarchy and church leadership to not display promptly and publicly their condemnation of obvious Evil policies and practices by groups and individuals calling them by name defining the consequence of their actions for the discernment of the faithful as we would expect from truly devout shepherds.
Paul-Emile Leray
6 months ago
I was having a focussed, calm, afternoon; until I read this. A few things I would like to state: social justice does not mean socialism, communism, oppressive bureaucratic top heavy administrations and the likes. In the name of social justice, many in positions of power often try justifying their existences in receiving more grant money from various arms of the government! In other words, academics are often basically "selfish" in the words of a Jesuit who is now completely decorated with full emeritus status and given his age he is completely free to let truth fly out of his mouth with ZERO concern of his fingers getting slapped. His credentials, the numerous books he has written (more than what most people have read); his life; speaks for itself. Next, find out how long it takes to get an MRI in Canada. Find out how kind, sincere, giving, noble, universal health care is in Canada. The quality is world class. There is one major problem. The waiting periods are often so long, the accessibility to specialists in due time is often so long; that social justice is NOT PRESENT. Why? Because the administrators and bureaucrats eat up much of the funding, in part. In some countries, for example in Japan, it takes only days to receive an MRI. They tried universal health care a few decades ago and it did NOT work. They have an 80/20, 70/30 type of system. This is not the place to be detailing it out, also I am not an expert on the fine details of the system. I simply know that to those who are naively smoke screened by so called universal health care in the sense that it is all about social justice; I say this: yes, everyone deserves health care. No, not all forms of so called "care" ought to exist and not all so called "care" ought to be paid for by taxpayers. And next, if accessibility (for eg., to MRIs) takes too long; then, it is not just but rather it is a disaster in effectiveness. Next, humans have some responsibility for their health. Someone who is 200lbs overweight, eats junk food all day long, should be held somewhat responsible for their lack of discipline. We aren't cows at a trough! We don't have to eat the silage until we bloat and practically blow a piston inside our systems! Please see the dictionary definition of "silage" and then see the parallels present between silage and fast food; between livestock and humans. A little blunt, but facts are facts. Next, no human has a copyright on God. Christ became the name proper to Jesus only because he accomplished perfectly the divine mission that "Christ" signifies. He who anointed, he who was anointed, and the very anointing with which he was anointed. Read all this in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Many of my Jesuit friends admire some of their collegues. And some others? Some don't admire one another so much. Why? Some are "scholars" in the words of a Jesuit friend. Scholars? Jesus turned inside out some "scholars" as well, did he not? Once again, after reading this article a little heat inside my nervous system got activated and therefore I must post. Most Jesuits I know are great, absolutely wonderful men. There are some (very few), however, who could be a little less ivory tower intellectual like and a little more HUMBLE! Some might do well sailing to far flung lands and getting their hands a little dirty from time to time, as did many of the Jesuit saints, instead of spending too much time in the comfort of strictly academia. Perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps I am not. If I am wrong, then may I be corrected. Let us be wise in how we use social justice. I wish someone would write an article explaining exactly and precisely how we are to understand "social justice" in present day society. I fear it gets misused and taken out of context often. It is NOT socially just to grow bureaucracies and administrations, if it means having less funding for research, teaching, and MRI machines. Accessibility to those machines is necessary BEFORE one has died! There are people who laugh at the Canadian system, not at the quality but rather at the accessibility because it is so LETHARGIC. Yes, everyone has accessibility to the system in Canada but by the time one sees a specialist he might be dead!!! Use your brains, America, when you hear people rambling about universal health care. Look at the details of it, otherwise your taxes will be paying for all sorts of things you disagree with; including for lonely people who see the doctor for a coffee break under the guise of "feeling a little blue". Then? Take 2 or 3 aspirins and call me in the morning. The best priests are humble. If they parade around like little emperors with a copyright in their pockets on God and his will, be careful. HUMILITY. The BEST Jesuits I know are what? HUMBLE. And what? Down to earth and approachable. And? They are also the wisest and most intelligent. The little emperors? They nauseate me! Jesus was humble. The Pharisees weren't. Let us see the difference with clarity. And remember, we are all human and nobody escapes death and therefore do not be intimidated by power. Once again, for the upteenth time, here is what many do:
1. terrorize
2. infantilize
3. control

Be not afraid. Who has a copyright or patent on God's will? Jesus. Plus, he shared it. He fulfilled the messianic hope of Israel in his threefold office of priest, prophet and king.

Paul-Emile Leray
Deacon Tom
6 months ago
IGNORE my last comment! I just clicked on the link to the parish at the top of the article and saw who the speaker is for next Sunday. No doubt this whole Parish lists dangerously to the left of left! They will scoff at anyone's attempt to express their displeasure over the posting of this article. And no doubt, Cardinal Wuerl is familiar with the parish and sees it as a lost cause in terms of obedience to the Magisterium of the Church.
Tom McGuire
6 months ago
Hate is a common denominator in this election season. There is plenty of hate expressed toward the President of the United States in the responses to the election articles on this site. What amazes me is that we call ourselves disciples of Jesus. He said: "Love your enemy, do good to those who persecute you." He did not call Pilate an evil man. He ate his last supper with the man who was to betray him. He did not condemn the Roman government as evil. His way was to listen, to teach with parables, and to heal. Can we say the same for ourselves?

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